Vegetable Print for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Second Term
Week: 2
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Creativity
Curriculum Theme: Creativity
Previous Lesson: Exploring different colours
Topic: VEGETABLE PRINT
Subject Matter: VEGETABLE PRINT

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Identify an onion as a type of vegetable.
• State that vegetables can be used to make prints.

Affective Domain

• Participate enthusiastically in the vegetable printing activity.
• Show care when handling art materials.

Psychomotor Domain

• Dip a cut onion into paint.
• Press the onion onto paper to create a print.
• Demonstrate proper hand-eye coordination during printing.

Social Domain

• Share art materials with classmates respectfully.
• Take turns when using the paint and onions.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4.
• Early Childhood Care and Education curriculum resources.

Instructional Materials

• Whole onions
• Poster colours (various bright colours)
• Flat plates or shallow containers for paint
• Child-safe knife (for teacher’s use only)
• Scrapbooks or sheets of paper
• Aprons or old shirts (optional, to protect clothing)
• Wet wipes or a basin of water for cleaning hands

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson introduces pupils to vegetable printing, fostering their creativity and fine motor skills. It helps them recognise a common vegetable, the onion, in a fun, hands-on way, connecting art with everyday objects and encouraging observation of shapes and patterns.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can identify some common vegetables and are familiar with different colours. They have also engaged in simple drawing or colouring activities.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

VEGETABLE PRINT

Vegetable printing is a fun way to make beautiful patterns and pictures using parts of vegetables. We can use different vegetables like onions, potatoes, lady’s fingers (okra), or carrots to create unique prints.

Today, we will use an **onion** to make prints. An onion is a vegetable that we eat. When we cut an onion, it has a special pattern inside that looks like rings or lines. We can dip this cut part into paint and press it onto paper to make a print.

How to Make an Onion Print:

1. The teacher will carefully cut an onion in half.
2. Pour some bright poster colours into flat plates.
3. Gently dip the cut side of the onion into the paint. Make sure it is covered with colour.
4. Press the painted onion onto your paper or scrapbook.
5. Lift the onion carefully to see your print!
6. You can dip it again in different colours to make more prints.

Key Words

• Onion – A vegetable that grows underground and has layers.
• Print – A mark or design made by pressing something onto a surface.
• Colour – The different shades we see, like red, blue, yellow.
• Vegetable – A plant or part of a plant that is eaten as food.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Show a whole onion and a carefully cut onion (teacher-prepared).
• Demonstrate dipping the onion into paint and pressing it on paper.
• Show examples of simple onion prints.

Vegetable Print Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:

Onion, onion, round and neat,
Making patterns, oh so sweet.
Dip in paint, red or blue,
Press it down, a print for you.
Onion, onion, art we make,
For goodness gracious sake!

Actions:

• “Onion, onion, round and neat”: Make a circle with hands.
• “Making patterns, oh so sweet”: Wiggle fingers like making patterns.
• “Dip in paint, red or blue”: Pretend to dip an onion.
• “Press it down, a print for you”: Pretend to press on paper.
• “Onion, onion, art we make”: Show hands like presenting art.
• “For goodness gracious sake!”: Clap hands.

How to use the rhyme: Sing this song during the guided practice to encourage pupils and reinforce the steps of the activity. Repeat it as pupils work on their prints.

Watch and Learn: Vegetable Printing

Let’s watch a short video to see how we can make prints using vegetables, just like we are doing with our onions!

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Demonstration, Guided Practice, Practical Activity, Play-based Learning, Question and Answer, Repetition.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Motivation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads them in a short song. The teacher then shows a whole onion and asks, “What is this? What do we use it for?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings and try to identify the onion, saying “Onion!” or “Vegetable!”

Learning Point: Pupils are introduced to the lesson topic and an onion.

Step 2: Identification and Discussion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Observation/Safety

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses the onion as a vegetable. The teacher then carefully cuts an onion in half, showing the pupils the inside pattern. “Look at the beautiful pattern inside! We will use this to make prints.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the onion, its layers, and the pattern inside. They listen to the teacher’s explanation.

Learning Point: Pupils understand that an onion is a vegetable and has an interesting pattern for printing.

Step 3: Demonstration of Printing

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher sets up the paint in plates. The teacher demonstrates how to gently dip the cut onion into the paint and then press it firmly onto a piece of paper, lifting it carefully to reveal the print. The teacher shows how to make multiple prints.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the teacher’s demonstration attentively, observing each step.

Learning Point: Pupils learn the practical steps of vegetable printing.

Step 4: Guided Practice

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Support

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes scrapbooks/paper, cut onions (one per pupil or pair), and guides pupils to dip their onions into the paint and make their first prints. The teacher moves around, offering help and encouragement.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils carefully dip their onions into the paint and make prints on their paper, following the teacher’s guidance.

Learning Point: Pupils practice the skill of vegetable printing with teacher support.

Step 5: Rhyme Reinforcement

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Vegetable Print Song” while they continue their activity. “Let’s sing our song about making prints!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing along with the teacher, performing the actions while continuing to make prints.

Learning Point: The rhyme reinforces the lesson concept and adds to the fun.

Step 6: Independent Printing

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Observation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher allows pupils to continue printing independently, encouraging them to try different colours or patterns. The teacher observes their fine motor skills and creativity.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils continue to make onion prints on their scrapbooks, exploring different arrangements and colours.

Learning Point: Pupils apply their learning independently and develop their creativity.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

1. “What vegetable did we use to make prints today?”
2. “Show me how you dipped the onion into the paint.”
3. “Show me your favourite print you made.”
4. “What colours did you use?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Closure/Tidiness

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their beautiful prints and their participation. The teacher reminds them to clean up their work area and wash their hands. “You all did a wonderful job! Now, let’s clean up our space and wash our hands.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils show their prints, help tidy up, and prepare to wash their hands.

Learning Point: Pupils feel a sense of accomplishment and learn about tidiness after an activity.

Lesson Keywords

• Onion – A vegetable with layers, often used in cooking.
• Print – A mark made by pressing an object onto a surface.
• Colour – The appearance of objects caused by the way they reflect light.
• Vegetable – A plant part eaten as food, like onion, carrot, or tomato.
• Dip – To put something quickly into a liquid and take it out again.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who struggle with dipping and pressing, the teacher can provide hand-over-hand guidance. Use larger pieces of paper to give more space for printing. Offer fewer colour choices initially to avoid overwhelm.
• Extension: Encourage quicker pupils to experiment with making different patterns (e.g., repeating patterns, overlapping prints) or to identify other vegetables they think could be used for printing. They can also try mixing two colours on the onion before printing.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure all materials are ready and easily accessible. Pre-cut some onions if time is short, but demonstrate cutting one safely (teacher only) to show pupils the inside. Prepare individual plates with small amounts of poster paint to minimise mess and encourage sharing. Emphasise that the knife is a tool for adults only. Encourage pupils to wear aprons or old shirts to protect their clothes. Guide pupils to press firmly but not too hard to get clear prints. Observe how pupils handle the materials and their fine motor control. Praise effort and creativity. The observable action for understanding will be the pupil’s ability to dip the onion and make a clear print, as well as verbally identifying the onion as a printing tool.